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–+ servings

Vegetarian Puttanesca Pasta

This tasty puttanesca sauce is made without anchovies, using canned tomatoes and other fridge and pantry staples. It is rich, thick, intensely flavorful and easy to make on a weeknight!
4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
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Ingredients

  • extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
  • 28 oz (800 g) canned diced tomatoes, see notes
  • 2 shallots , diced - or 1 onion
  • 6 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 tsp red pepper or chili flakes
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • 3 tbsp capers
  • ½ cup (8 tbsp) black or kalamata olives, chopped
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp salted butter, or additional olive oil
  • 2 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 small lemon , for zesting - or half of a large lemon
  • 12 oz (340 g) spaghetti

Instructions 

  • Heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in a saute pan over a low heat. Saute the shallots until soft.
    extra virgin olive oil, 2 shallots
  • Add the garlic and saute for about 30-60 seconds, until soft and fragrant.
    6 cloves garlic
  • Add the red pepper flakes, dried herbs, capers and olives to the pan and stir through. If the pan feels dry, add some more oil.
    2 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried parsley, 3 tbsp capers, 1/2 cup black or kalamata olives, 1 tsp red pepper or chili flakes
  • Add the tomato paste and saute for another minute or two to get the tomato paste nice and caramelized.
    2 tbsp tomato paste
  • Add the canned tomatoes and the vegan Worcestershire sauce and mix through. Add the butter (if using - otherwise add more olive oil) and salt and pepper to taste. Turn the heat up to medium and allow the sauce to simmer, partially covered, for about 30 minutes. Regularly lift the lid and stir the sauce, mashing the capers and olives a little as it cooks.
    28 oz canned diced tomatoes, 2 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce, 2 tbsp salted butter
  • Towards the end of the sauce's cook time, set your spaghetti cooking according to package instructions. Once it's cooked, reserve a cup of the cooking water before draining.
    12 oz spaghetti
  • The sauce will be ready once it's turned thick and rich. Once you're happy with the texture, add the lemon zest and stir through. You can also add fresh parsley or basil now, if you're including it.
    1 small lemon
  • Add the spaghetti to the sauce and toss to get it all coated in the sauce. Add some pasta cooking water as you toss it through - this will give it a more silky texture and help it stick to the spaghetti. You won't use the whole cup, but just use as much as you need to get the texture right.
  • Serve with cheese and/or herbs for topping.

Notes

I like diced tomatoes for the texture, but if you only have chopped or whole tomatoes, that's fine too. Just mash them up a little with a potato masher while they cook. The sauce will still likely be chunkier.
Cuisine: Italian
Course: Dinner
Calories: 454kcal, Carbohydrates: 79g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 15mg, Sodium: 868mg, Potassium: 760mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 625IU, Vitamin C: 26mg, Calcium: 128mg, Iron: 4mg